Friday, February 20, 2009

Why isn't my iPhone as cool as it SHOULD be? I love my iPhone. But really, there are some areas where it lacks functionality for no good reason. The chips in it are powerful enough (heck the thing plays Youtube videos effortlessly), but the executable code isn't there.

As many readers know, I have the cushy telecommuting job that lets me work from home. Furthermore, my company pays for my internet. This has allowed me to get Roadrunner Turbo/Premium (whatever you want to call it). Further, I've dropped my landline in favor of just calling with my iPhone. However, from time to time I do need to leave the house. When that happens, I only have internet connectivity about half the time. Where is my iPhone tethering? Other phones allow you to connect your PC to your phone and use it as an ISP, why oh why doesn't the iPhone? Its been rumoured to be coming, but I'd really like them to get moving on it.

Heck as part of this, wouldn't it be cool if even though I was at a place with a Wi-Fi connection, I could still run data through my iPhone's Wi-Fi antenna so the thing can work as a Firewall?

I can use VPN and and Windows Remote Desktop on my phone! Why not this?

Here is another limitation. Adobe is looking at trying to implement an iPhone version of Flash (which is wonderful considering most sites I visit extensively use flash). But it's not here yet. Yes, Adobe says it's hard...but this gadget has been around for sometime.

How about software to let me read Amazon Kindle books?

All that being said, I noticed something rather spiffy the other day. AT&T IS preparing to offer a "MicroCell" extender which basically worked like a low power cell tower in your house. It uses your broadband connection to connect to the network. Now admittedly, I do get a decent signal in my house, but I really would like to have the extra insurance and "free anytime minutes". This would really pay for itself as I could drop my minutes from unlimited to something MUCH, MUCH lower (even if it was $5/month). With something as cool as this, why are there these other limitations? Even so, as cool as this is, my iPhone handles Wi-Fi, I should be able to just make calls OVER Wi-Fi.

Other than that, I LOVE this little gadget. Everyone who interacts with me knows this thing is almost permanently attached to my hand. It works with my company's Exchange server, I can VPN and remote Desktop with it. I can control iTunes on my desktop. Then with all of the other free applications I've installed, I feel like I'm almost directly connected to the internet. These other limitations just seem so artificial!